If THE PEOPLE in TRINIDAD wanted PAN ON THE ROAD FOR CARNIVAL -- There would be PAN ON THE ROAD FOR CARNIVAL

That seems simple enough for me. They have over 10,000 PAN PLAYERS in TRINIDAD. And they must have at least a MILLION PANS and PAN STICKS ... and the GOVERNMENT does not dictate who could come on the road with WHAT INSTRUMENTS.

So I don't know why people are angsting and dying inside emotionally because more PANS are not on the road for Carnival.

Just like the BIG 5 formed an ISA to promote PAN AND PLAYERS ON THE OUTSIDE -- PAN ON THE ROADERS could form a PAN ON THE ROAD FOUNDATION and push their agenda.

But, to me, from the looks of things (a view of the reality -- and not FANTASY-- on the ground) ... I feel that we PASS THAT STAGE.

You know what you know bro...that is no concern of mine...What I know is that I/we are not playing pan for free anymore...well unless another steelband have something and asks a favour...When I last check D.J.s always get paid, drinks always have to be "bought" and show organizers expect a profit of some sort...As far as the road for carnival goes, once there is a competition for us to exploit...we in dat...

merrytonestothebone: The ONE PROBLEM I have with you (and this is not the first time I am saying this) is that yuh does KEEP IT TOO REAL on this forum sometimes. Look how yuh come and mash up ah good good lime with DOSES OF REALITY on a FORUM OF FANTASY.

You and Raoul Garib: Like allyuh spend allyuh whole life in Trinidad PROMOTING THE CULTURE and NEVER LIVE IN FOREIGN or what? Allyuh seem to have an objective and unemotional and realistic view of T&T CARNIVAL -- 2018 and beyond.

Your last sentence is a LIFELINE for the EXPATS -- if they real serious about bringing PAN BACK ON THE ROAD FOR CARNIVAL.

So dey should start setting up a competition for PAN MEN to exploit on Carnival Day.

On my POSITIVE SIDE -- I think that this is WITHIN REACH if we could organize a group of PAN LOVERS with ADMINISTRATIVE and MARKETING SKILLS. Even so, it is a STEEP CLIMB.

Man, you tell me that yuh is ah COCKROACH in FOWL BUSINESS. But I reading it just the opposite: It look like yuh is ah FOWL that come on the FORUM and chase all the COCKROACH away -- figuratively speaking eh, I doh want nobody to take this literally and vent their frustrations on me.

Claude...upon retirement five years ago I took the opportunity afforded to me by a lil kakada my former employer gifted me after separation to "formally" study music for nine months. It was always important to me to find out how and why about anything I am involved in and probably because of that I have very little tolerance for short-cuts and easy answers. Maybe what you said about me "mashing up a good lime" is true because to date nobody has responded to my suggestion that steelbands owe the their players for performing....anywhere....first...but that is another story...

Again, as I said here sometime ago and in agreement with the title of this post, if people in the mecca want pan they know full well what to do. They know too that giving away big money for Panorama will keep people from asking hard questions about development and proper structure and standards etc, because like the calypsonian once said to an entirely different public..."is money dey love money dey crave..."

If the powers that be really want to make a difference and bring back Pan on the road for Carnival...all over...They could have the various municipal departments fund performances by steelbands...not necessarily "competitions" on both Carnival days. Yes, pay man to play and not defraud the government like at Panoramatime. But no! As meh pardner tell meh some years ago "Pan is we culture, allyuh should play fuh free." He probably mighta stick een a case ah beer and two bottle a rum in dey somewhey...

To cut a long story short let me say this...The worst person to fool is yuhself. And in my case I believe I have an idea how certain things work in this steelband business and really the rules haven't changed much. I doin' this thing too long to disrespect it and myself in turn...So forgive yuh boy when ah call a spade a soade nah?...

I keep saying over and over,BAN DJ'S FROM THE ROAD ON CARNIVAL MONDAY,AND STEELBANDS WILL COME ON THE ROAD. THE STEELBANDS CANNOT COMPETE WITH THE LOUDNESS OF NOISE COMING FROM THE DJ'S.I CAN BET ON THAT. BLESSINGS.

Simply because -- Mr. Morning Glory -- the people in Brooklyn are CULTURALLY FIXATED EXPATS who are stuck in TIMES PAST. (There is an article written by Terry Joseph that marvels at the fixation but I am not about to go dig it up because I have done my share of that on this FORUM and people still want to make a SPACESHIP and go back to the SIXTIES.)

In the MECCA, TIMES HAVE CHANGED beyond the stagnant memory of the EXPATS. Bandits robbing Priest in T&T today. Did that happen when the EXPATS who left TRINIDAD were living there when PAN was rolling on the ground for Carnival with people pushing? I could outline more murderous atrocities but this is not the time and place and people will get upset.

Societies evolve!!! How many times do I have to say that on this forum?

PAN EH NEVER COMING BACK ON THE ROAD FOR CARNIVAL ... not unless allyuh decide to hire me to deliver and REINVENT the past. But every time I plant a seed of progress in that dream -- everybody goes silent.

Anyway, all ah we is one -- so doh stress too much over the OLE TALK!!!

merrytones, "we in dat" I love those words. I did mention a Steelband Street Party with a Bomb competition Carnival Monday afternoon, you can't go wrong with this if the prize money is the same as panorama, Sponsors will jump on this like CNN on Trump.